Craig Markham, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Firmdale Hotels London & New York (and my good friend!) jetted into Sydney this week for his annual round of glamorous industry and Sydney social events… Here’s what happened!

A perfect Firmdale setting, Chiswick Restaurant

Monday –

Chiswick Restaurant was the setting for Mondays’ lunch where the who’s who of Sydney luxury travel joined Craig and Narell Devine (Narell is Director of Sales at Crosby Street Hotel in New York) for a breezy lunch at the gorgeous Chiswick Restaurant in Woollahra… they were all there, some old friends like Bev Cohen (Bev actually booked my travel many years ago!) and new friends like hotel aficionado David Goldman, and it’s always great to catch up with Danny Calahan too but I’m sorry … Carol Morgan from Voyage Affaires in Auckland wins the award this year!! Carol jetted in from Auckland just for the Firmdale lunch and then promptly jetted back when the festivities ended!

Later that night Thomas Hamel and George Massar opened their very chic apartment in the city for drinks, where we caught up with Cameron Kimber, Melissa Penfold and chic LA funsters Adam Campbell (who is “Hairdresser to the stars” in LA) and his charming partner Mikey who were town for some fun in Sydney and some serious hair styling!

Tuesday-

Craig moved further up George Street to QT Sydney Hotel this year to host his annual Travel Agent Industry Christmas Cocktail party. We all agreed that this party signals the start of the holidays and we sipped in style while talking travel and the room was a-buzz about the latest Firmdale opening, the Ham Yard Hotel in London next May.

We then headed to Gowings Bar & Grill for a late dinner (and one of the best veal schnitzels I have ever eaten).

Brent with Craig Markham at QT HotelsMy Fairflights / Riche Luxury Travel team at the Firmdale Cocktail Party

Wednesday-

Sharyn Storrier Lynham hosted her annual drinks soiree for Craig this year at her gorgeous bijou store EDIT in Queen Street Woollahra on wednesday night. This party is for Sydney’s who’s who, many of whom have been a friend of Craig’s for years and are also true devotees of his Firmdale properties.

EDIT – Woollahra

At the party I ran into the fab Susie Westwood from Brandman PR in Sydney, (Susie and I lunched earlier in the week at Intermezzo along with her husband Andrew), Annette Zubani (Nettie Z … guest Food blogger here at Where’s Brent Been?, together we are launching our “Mexico Riche” tours in 2014), Lee Tulloch (aka Mrs Amos of Mr & Mrs Amos – and creator one of the best travel blogs around), Howard Steeves (handsome stylist about town and also guest blogger right here at Where’s Brent Been?) and his partner Simon Cary.

Great mate, photographer Stephen Ward and his beautiful partner Holly Blake (both of whom are in demand fashion photographers) swung by, as did Thomas Hamel and George Massar both looking extremely dapper on their way to dinner. Oh… and I finally got a chance to catch up with the gorgeous Jenny Garber, who got to tell me all about her new inART bespoke art tours in Sydney, (I’ll be joining one in February so stay tuned).

For those that don’t know, Sharyn designs the most beautiful fabrics and her store EDIT is one of the most colourful and inspiring spaces I have seen in ages, I just loved it. Pop in and pick up a last-minute Christmas gift for yourself.